Just bought a 1986 Custom Cruiser for a few hundred and my iPod! Gotta love Craigslist trades...heh. It's a pretty cool car, has about 114K miles. Interior is in very good shape...outside needs painting of course but it's an AZ car so no rust! Engine runs superb, just has a small oil leak...think it's the valve covers. I'll post some pics when I get them.

 

Very cool post some pics when you get the chance.

 

Sounds like a good score to me. I'm still trying to convince the wife I need to start working on a wagon now to haul the future kiddies around later. She seems to think we need a 4Runner.

Looking forward to seeing the pics and the progress! Good luck!

 

Sounds cool.

Any plans for it after you fix those pesky valve covers?

 

Thanks guys! Just picked her up a couple hours ago. I'll take some pics to post and will probably do a video for my YouTube account. It needs tons of basic maintenance stuff...have to change all the fluids, needs new tires (desperately), and probably new brakes.

One of my friends wants to buy it from me eventually. He is a big oceanliner buff and wants to paint it like the Titanic...LOL Black on the bottom with white on top and a gold stripe in the middle. Crazy as it sounds, I think it will be kinda cool...then it will be a real boat! haha.

 

Aint new toys (the kind you can drive) neat. Congrats

 

Yes love new toys! This one needs so much little stuff done to it...seems like everything that is electrical has some kind of malfunction. The wipers wouldn't turn off yesterday...did eventually but I had to keep changing speeds until it finally stopped. Think it needs a new turn signal lever.

Here is a link to my YouTube page where I have 3 videos of the Cruiser...check em out!

http://www.youtube.com/user/focusonthegreen

 

I had a 90 Buick Estate Wagon that had trouble with the wiper motor. I actually think it is the selector lever on the steering wheel.

 

Hmmm.... Brake booster, HVAC, now the wipers.

The GM two speed wiper motors use a unique wiring scheme. There is a primary motor winding that provides the high speed. There is a reverse-wound shunt winding that is energized at the same time as the primary winding at the low speed setting. The shunt winding partly negates the magnetic field from the primary winding, slowing the motor down. The shunt winding is also used to park the wiper arms when you shut it off. Frequently either the internal contacts or the wiring for the shunt goes bad, resulting in the inability to turn it off (or worse, the 3" up-down motion of the wiper arms). Could be the motor, the switch, or the wires in between.

 

Damn you know a lot! This is definitely a project car...I have my work cut out for me. Need a new gas tank too...not a speck of rust on the the thing, except for on the gas tank...ugh.

 

Comes from having made lots of mistakes with Oldsmobiles over the last 35 years...

 

Glad to have a another Custom Cruiser in the mix. My son and I went to a cruise-in a couple of weeks ago, and he insisted on rideing home in the third seat waveing at the people behind us.

 

Just and update for you guys. I've done quite a bit of work to this wagon since I bought it. Here's what I've done so far:

Completed:
-Oil and filter
-Seafoam treatment (lots of white smoke!)
-Air filter
-Fuel filter
-Carbon canister filter
-PCV valve
-Air crankcase filter
-Removed and flushed radiator/overflow tank
-Thermostat
-Radiator hoses
-New V belts
-Front brake pads
-Window guides (now I can open/close all the windows!)
-Spark plugs/wires
-Distributor cap/rotor
-Valve cover gaskets
-O2 sensor
-Replaced hood ornament
-Shampoo'd carpets and seats
-Attached a new air intake hose (it was missing), really mad a difference in the way it drives!
-Degreased a LOT. This car is an original AZ one and has had leaky valve covers for a while, so of course with all the dust it had a nice thick layer of sludge ALL over it...everywhere!!! Yikes...

Have parts, not installed yet
-Idler arm
-Tie rods
-Fuel sending unit

Still needs
-Battery
-Tires
-Gas tank is getting corroded in 2 spots, will patch or buy a whole new tank
-A/C issues...vacuum problem inside, controls do not change settings. Right now A/C doesn't even blow cold so might need a recharge
-Shocks
-Wheel alignment after tie rods
-Radio/power antenna do not work
-Paint
-New window tint
-Door gaskets are trashed, not a priority since they are not cheap!

 

That is hysterical! LOL Sounds like something I would do. I've yet to ride in the 3rd seat...I'll have to get one of my friends to drive me around...heh.

 

i recently purchased a 1990 custom cruiser with a 307 great car two problems though have a ticking noise in the motor and the oil/choke light stays on even after checking all the wires and changing the oil/filter

 

Cool, congrats on the purchase! Not sure what the noise could be. I know my Toronado does that when I first start it from cold. I started using a heavier grade oil because I live in the desert and it's scorching here in the summer.

I'll be selling my wagon soon unfortunately though. The Toronado is already sold, just waiting for the guy to pick it up. Then I'll be Oldsmobile-less

 

Glad you're enjoying your Custom Cruiser. I have what is probably the ugliest 1985 Custom Cruiser in existence-i bought it for a hundred dollar bill from a coworker. It has 389,000 miles on it and simply will not die. At one time it had fake wood on the sides, but that is mostly peeled off by now. In its illustrious lifespan it has been a "dive wagon" (hauled scuba drivers & their gear to & from the dock), a heavy metal band's equipment hauler, and who knows what else.

 

Very cool! They are awesome cars. Unfortunately I'll be moving soon and have to sell mine Maybe someday I'll get another.

 

Very cool! They are awesome cars. Unfortunately I'll be moving soon and have to sell mine Maybe someday I'll get another.

 

The third row seat is fun, I remember being a kid in the back of my wagon in the 3rd row seat. Nowadays all my friends when they get rides request 3rd row seating.
Sad you'll have to let yours go. I would love a big ole b body gm wagon, to match my midsized Mopar b body wagon that's actually bigger than the custom cruiser...

 

Joey,

I have a set of door-gaskets (I think they are factory replacements, i'd have to check) for the front and back doors for my 83 Custom Cruiser. I never put them on, they are brand new. Came with the car. Anyhow, they ought to fit your 86, same exact bpdy style. Anyhow, if youre interested, drop me a line.

I thought about making an offer on the Wagon, but my next one will be a Vista Cruiser, or so I'd hope.

--Ryan
Then again, I guess that depends on what youre looking for out of it. Trade you my gasket set for it ;-)

 

If he doesn't want the I may be interested in them.

 

Thanks Ryan...I'd love for her to go to someone who likes Oldsmobiles as much as I do. Don't think I'll put the new gaskets on before I sell her though, I'm running out of time...my move back to NH is coming up pretty quick!

 

You could use her as a moving truck. Put a hitch on her and rent a trailer...

 

Just picked up an 86 Custom Cruiser today...have a short list of parts that I need in the "parts wanted" section...